Agartala, January 3:
Tripura on Saturday hosted the 69th National School Games Yogasana competition for Boys under-17, with Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha inaugurating the national-level school sports event at the NSRCC complex in Agartala. Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Tinku Roy and other dignitaries were also present at the opening ceremony.
For the first time, Tripura is hosting the under-17 Yogasana event organized by the School Sports Board, marking another milestone in the state’s growing role in promoting school-level sports. This follows the state’s earlier success in conducting university-level yoga competitions.
Addressing participants from across India, Chief Minister Saha highlighted the importance of national competitions in identifying and nurturing young sporting talent. He emphasized that sports play a key role in building a disciplined, responsible, and healthy society, particularly among children and youths.
Saha also lauded yoga as India’s timeless gift to the world, noting its global acceptance and popularity. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for popularizing yoga internationally, citing that 177 countries now observe International Yoga Day since 2015. The Chief Minister highlighted yoga’s holistic benefits, including physical fitness, flexibility, balance, mental clarity, stress reduction, and self-discipline. He added that yoga encourages individuals to compete with themselves, improving posture, concentration, stability, and grace under pressure.
Highlighting the state government’s commitment to sports and yoga, Saha said the NSRCC-based state yoga institute currently trains around 200 students, while yoga classes are conducted at Tripura Sports Schools in Badharghat and Panisagar. He also stressed the importance of national platforms like the National School Games and Khelo India in discovering young talent and providing opportunities to represent India internationally.
Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Tinku Roy added that increased participation in sports and yoga is crucial for keeping youths away from drugs. He noted Tripura’s strong performance in disciplines like gymnastics, judo, and yoga, with athletes from the state consistently winning laurels in national competitions, reflecting the vision of a “Nesha Mukt Tripura” and “Nesha Mukt Bharat.”
